A nock is the portion of an arrow that receives the bowstring to hold the end of the arrow in alignment with the bowstring prior to release. A nock may be a simple notch in the end of the arrow but more typically is a separate part which may be attached to the arrow.
It is known to provide for nock adapters that serve to releaseably hold a nock to the arrow shaft permitting simplifying the replacement of the nock or the use of different nocks. For conventional arrows having tubular shafts, the nock adapter may include a foreword extending cylindrical boss that may fit within the tube of the arrow and it may provide an opposed bore for receiving a corresponding cylindrical boss of the nock.
Bowfishing is a form of archery using arrows specially adapted for fishing. Bowfishing arrows normally do not have fletching (feathers) which may cause the arrow to move erratically in the water and may have a barbed arrowhead that allows for the releasing of the fish. Bowfishing arrows are normally attached to a tether that automatically follows the flight of the arrow and provides a means for retrieving the arrow and fish.
Bowfishing arrows are typically solid shaft arrows, for example, constructed of fiberglass-reinforced polymer. Such arrows often provide a tapered rear end to be received by a conical bore in the nock which is glued to this taper. A nock adapter suitable for use with standard solid shaft arrows having tapered rear ends is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,105 hereby incorporated by reference. This nock adapter provides for a conical bore that may be attached to the conical end of the arrow and which provides an opposed conical projection and snap fitting that may be received and retained by a conical bore of a nock specially designed to engage the snap fitting.
The nocks of bowfishing arrows, because of their intended use, are frequently exposed to sideward impacts caused by a striking of the arrow against the boat, the river bottom or the like such as may dislodge or break the nock. Accordingly, any attachment method for a bowfishing arrow must resist strong dislodgment forces.